Heroes
by Cole224
Summary: Crossover with Dark Angel. Alec passes through smallville and ends up saving Clarks life. Slash.
1. Chapter 1

This is a crossover with Dark Angel. It is slash. It is set after the Berrisford Agenda for Dark Angel and before Mortal for Smallville. This is short, but it is just basically a prologue to see if anyone might like this kind of story. 

Don't own anything.

* * *

It didn't take long, Alec mused, for something to happen. He had left Seattle because he couldn't stand being there anymore. He couldn't stand the knowing glances from Max and Logan, or the lasting pity in their eyes.

He had thought that getting out was good. That he might actually be able to relax some if he just got away. Maybe find some place where he wasn't constantly reminded of Manticore and what he had done there.

He should have known better than to drive through Smallville, Kansas. It wasn't like he had been planning on staying there. The tiny town was under major reconstruction after their(latest) meteor hit. He was just passing through. He had actually been planning on stopping in Metropolis, the closest city. He had been driving for far to long and needed to refuel. He never actually made it there.

He was driving through town when he heard it. The very familiar signs of a fight in progress. Apparently hanging with Max had made him stupid because he actually went to check it out.

What he found was more of a beating than a fight. Three guys on one wasn't really fair. Alec actually let out a smile as he approach.

"Wow, and I thought people fought dirty where I'm from." He called out as he approached. The three men stopped, and turned to him. Alec smirked. He recognized these types of guys. Probably just trying to mug the man on the ground.

Alec glanced at him, and changed his assessment to kid. He couldn't older than twenty. Despite himself, Alec felt anger rise up in him at that. The men were facing him now, and smiling.

"You might want to rethink this, kid." One of them said.

"Yeah, three on one, not really great odds." Alec said, nodding, and then he leaned forward. "You might want to find some more guys." The man laughed. Instead of shrugging it off like he normally would, the anger grew stronger. He shifted slightly, and grinned wider.

Fact was, he was relishing the thought of kicking these guys asses. He hadn't had a fight in a while, and he had been fighting down unwanted emotions for awhile. The cross country drive had helped, some.

He easily side stepped the first guy who ran at him and connected his elbow to the back of the guy's head as he went by. He caught the next guy by the jacket and changed his direction so that he slammed into the wall beside him. Bringing the guy forward, he slammed him back into the wall, cracking the guys head on the wall. Cactching the movement from behind, he blurred around and caught the last guys fist before he could connect. Letting go, he landed and uppercut, knocking the guy out.

Alec stood still for a moment. He rolled his shoulders and gave a sigh before going over to the kid and helping him up.

"You alright?" Alec asked.

"I'm fine." The kid said, standing up. Alec steadied him when he wavered slightly on his feet. The kid was tall, that was sure with messy black hair and striking blue eyes that he turned to Alec.

"Thanks." He said now. Alec shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable.

"No problem." He said. "Come on. Where do you live? I'll drop you there."

* * *

Alec was felt a little strange. The kid, who had told him his name was Clark, had been a little reluctant to go with him, but he guessed that was expected. As he drove, though, Alec did have the sudden wish that he would have traded his motorcycle for a car. He concentrated very hard on the road to keep his mind off the fact that Clark had his hands resting on his sides and was extremely close.

He wasn't sure why he found himself helping Clark into his house and sitting down on one of the chairs. He looked around the place.

"So, I guess you got hit too?" He asked. Clark nodded.

"Meteor hit here. We're rebuilding." Alec nodded.

"Heard about that."

"Who didn't?" Clark asked. He watched Alec for several seconds. "I saw how you fought." He blurted out. Alec simply shrugged, though.

"Took martial arts when I was a kid." He said dismissively. He gestured to Clarks bruised face. "From the looks of things, you probably should have to."

"So, you don't live here?" Clark asked, not addressing that. He had never needed martial arts before. He had seen the way Alec had fought, though. Seen the way that he moved. He wasn't so sure that it was just training.

"Naw." Alec said. "Just passing through. I wasn't actually going to stop till I got to Metropolis."

"Well, I'm glad you did." Clark said. "Thanks for that." Alec nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable again.

"You should stay." Clark blurted the words out again and then winced slightly. Alec turned an amused expression on him.

"I mean, you should stay for a little while. Metropolis is a long drive. Besides, you did sort of save my life. You could stay here for the night." Alec hesitated a moment. He was tired of driving, though. He'd been on that bike for far to long.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"


	2. Chapter 2

Part of this chapter goes through Mortal.

* * *

His parents weren't hard to convince, he just told them the truth. Of course, they got a little worried and over protective when he told them about what happened, but they did let Alec stay there.

Alec had told Clark that it was just for the night anyways but Clark couldn't help but to notice the way his mom seemed to take to Alec almost immediately and it wasn't just because the guy was pretty. Clark may have been straight himself and in love with Lana, but even he could tell that Alec was bordering on pretty.

The next day was the barn raising and Alec had said that he might be gone by then. Clark showed him around the house, first. It was mostly rebuilt now, but there were still some things to do.

"This is where you stay?" Alec asked, frowning as he followed Clark up to the loft. Clark nodded.

"Yeah."

"Huh." Alec said, taking in the place, wondering around a little.

"So, where are you from?" Clark asked.

"Why?" Alec asked, looking through Clark's telescope for a second. Clark shrugged.

"Just curious." He said. "I've been talking since you got here, you really haven't said much." Alec shrugged.

"Seattle." He said shortly. Clark rolled his eyes.

"Oh, yeah? Why'd you leave?"

"Just needed to get out." He said, his eyes darkening slightly. He didn't say more and Clark didn't push, mostly because he didn't like the dark look of pain that had crossed over Alec's eyes.

"Well, I'm going to meet Lana soon. You want to come?" He asked instead. Alec shook his head, amusement coming back to his eyes.

"I doubt your girl would want me tagging along for your date." He said. "I'll probably just go see if this town is really as small as I think it is."

* * *

Alec did go out, but not on his bike. He'd been on that thing for far to long and he didn't really feel the urge to ride around on it until he left Smallville. He didn't want to leave yet, for some reason.

Meeting Clark had been odd. He had listened as Clark talked about himself and his family and his friends as he had showed him around their house. He had met Clark's parents briefly.

Alec had been under the impression, before he came here, that there were no people like that. Clark wasn't just a good guy, he was probably the purist person that Alec had ever met, and he did get that from the brief contact he had had with Clark.

He felt a little uncomfortable to tell the truth. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a little bit like he didn't measure up and that actually bothered him. Which was actually strange.

It wasn't like he had never met anyone with morals before. It wasn't like he didn't have any himself, they were just a little buried. He had been around Logan for half a year, and that guy made it his personal mission to save the world.

Thing was, he felt different about Clark. It wasn't just the attraction. Oh, he was aware of that. He figured if he was a normal twenty year old, he might have been in denial or whatever, but there was something about spending your entire life locked up in a high security military base being tortured that took away any of that.

He had been aware for a while that he was attracted to men as well as women. He'd accepted that easily. In fact, he didn't really understand why some people got so freaked out by it, but whatever. It was their problem.

He looked around idly at the place, and then snorted. He had passed through a couple small towns after leaving Seattle but he still couldn't believe that there were actually places like this. But, hell, where else would a family like Clark's live?

* * *

When Clark got home, he actually found himself hanging out with Alec again. He and Alec. He and Alec actaully sat around and watched TV for a while, talking occasionally.

Alec still didn't say much about his past, but Clark still found himself having fun. He had brought their television out to the loft and they were sitting on his couch, Alec stretched out on one side and Clark sitting on the other.

Clark had found some crap movie on and he and Alec sat, making fun of it. He had done things like this with Chloe before, but he actually felt almost instantly comfortable with Alec.

A couple hours later, Clark went to go to bed, but not before making Alec promise to say goodbye before he left town.

* * *

Clark woke up early the next morning to head out to the barn raising. He glimpsed Alec sound asleep in the loft before heading out, hoping that Alec would tell him before he left. It was strange, but he felt like he might actually miss him.

* * *

"I guess we should head back." Lana said, standing back up.

"We should." Clark said, nodding and leaning in for a kiss. "Everyones back at the barn raising, waiting for us." He said. Lana grinned.

"Which means we're all alone." She said. She started to pull him towards the stairs.

"If you guys are going to get busy, can I leave first?" Lana and Clarks gazes both snapped in the direction of the voice. Alec was standing at the top of the stairs. He was wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and a tee-shirt. His hair was sticking up. Clark couldn't help but think that he looked kind of adorable. He held up his hands.

"Sorry I interrupted." He grinned. Clark sighed and shook his head.

"Lana, this is Alec."

"Nice to meet you." Lana said a little stiffly. Alec grinned at her too.

"Yeah, well, I think I'm going to go." He said. Before he could leave, though, Clark heard someone coming in. He figured Alec interrupting them was alright anyways. He really didn't want his mom walking in on them.

"Hey." He started as he walked towards the railing. "We were just-" He cut off when he felt something hit his chest and lift him up into the air. One minute he was standing there, the next he was pressed up against the ceiling staring down at three people he had never seen before.

"Clark!" Lana yelled.

"Pretty girl." One of the boys said, looking up at Clark.

"What do you want?" He asked, struggling against the force that was keeping him pinned to the ceiling.

"What every freak in Belle Reeve wants. You." Alec was on the boy in a flash, though. From his position on the ceiling, Clark could see how he moved. He grabbed ahold of the leader and pulled him forward.

"Let him go." He growled in a voice that might actually scare a hell of a lot of people. Instead of doing so, the leader simply smiled. He brought his hands up and Clark could literally see the energy there. When it slammed into Alec's body he was thrown backwards, landing on the ground a few feet away.

Alec lay still for a few seconds, and a surge of terror went through Clark and then he was falling, landing hard on the ground. Lana was there in an instant, trying to help him up.

Shrugging her off, Clark went over to where Alec was still lying. He breathed a sigh of relief when Alec lifted his head weakly. He was shaking badly and his breathing was coming out in short gasps but at least he was alive.

"Well well." The leader said. "Looks like your not the only freak after all. That shot should have killed pretty boy there."

* * *

It had to be electricity. Anything else and he would have been able to bounce back almost immediately. There was a reason that Manticore guards carried tasers on them.

Clark lifted him up into a sitting position. His hands were shaking, and he felt weak. He looked up at the three boys that were holding them there and frowned. The world sort of came back to him and he realized the guy was saying something.

"You alright?" He heard Clark ask in his ear.

"Wonderful." Alec said. Clark helped him stand and kept an arm around him when he wavered on his feet. His hands shook a little harder and he fisted one of them in Clarks shirt, trying to steady himself. Clark moved so that he was standing halfway in front of him.

"If you kill him, you wont get whatever it is you want." He said. The leader laughed and shrugged.

* * *

Clark was beyond worried. He knew what they wanted, only problem was he couldn't get it now that he didn't have his powers. And now his parents were there.

He eased Alec down next them. He was shaking more, and Clark was beginning to get a little bit terrified that if they didn't get out of here soon that it wouldn't matter to Alec if they ever did.

Alec had assured him that it would pass. That he had it before after a bad shock, but Clark wasn't so sure. He had to go though. If he didn't, his parents, Lana and Alec were all dead.

"Take care of him." He said to his parents before leaving.

* * *

It took far to long, as far as he was concerned. When he had finally made it back to the farm, though, he didn't really have time to assess how Alec was doing. He managed to outsmart the bad guys and beat them even without his powers.

"Pretty impressive." Alec said, coming up next to him. He was still shaking a little bit, but the worst had passed. "You just took out three guys with actual powers." He said, raising an eyebrow. "How did those guys in the alley get the drop on you?" Clark shrugged, a small smile pulling at his lips. He steadied Alec when he wavered slightly again with a hand on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

"'Course I am." He said waving away his concern.

* * *

After talking with Lex, Clark wasn't really sure what to do. His decision was made easy, though, when he thought back to the events of the day.

"Hey." He said quietly when he got there. Alec looked up from the couch he was lying on. Alec's eyebrows drew together when he caught sight of Clark's split lip.

"What happened to you?" He asked, struggling into a sitting position. Clark shrugged and sat down across from him on the table.

"Just saying goodbye to an old friend."

"Right." Alec said, leaning back on the couch.

"I actually came to see how your doing." Alec shrugged.

"I'm fine." He said dismissively.

"Alec, that guy. He said that it should have killed you." Clark said after a moment. Alec stiffened at that and Clark smiled at the momentary flash of panic in his green eyes.

"Don't worry. If you don't want to tell me, I'm not going to push." Alec raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" Clark shrugged and got up to sit beside him on the couch.

"Trust me, I know what it's like to keep secrets." He was close to Alec, their shoulders touching, and he frowned when he felt the slight tremors that were still going through Alec's body.

"Maybe I should take you-"

"No hospitals." Alec cut him off. Clark sighed.

"Part of this big secret." Alec shrugged, closing his eyes for a second. Clark hesitated for a second before putting an arm around his shoulders, steadying him. He couldn't help the slight smile when Alec rested his head on his shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

After that first night, Alec found himself staying in Smallville. It wasn't really a decision he had mulled over or really even thought about, he had just stayed. 

He was never much for self analysis. He had never really thought about why he had stayed in Seattle for so long, he just had. He knew that there were reasons, he just didn't like to think about them, so he didn't here either.

He spent the first week at Clarks. He found a few ways to keep himself entertained. He actually found himself liking Smallville. He'd only ever lived two places, Manticore and Seattle and Smallville was a long ways off from either of those places.

The more time he spent with Clark, the more and more he realized how exactly good Clark was. He wondered if Clark ever did anything bad. If he even had one of those teenage rebellion stages that most kids went through. Wondered if he had ever cut classes when he was still in high school for something other than to save someone's life.

He was very aware that the attraction that he had initially felt for Clark was only growing. The kicker was that it was for all those reasons. All the things that had drove him crazy in Logan had actually drawn him to Clark. Which might have been part of the reason he didn't leave Smallville, but again, he didn't analyze it.

* * *

Lex walked into the barn, looking around for Clark. He knew that Clark was still pissed at him, but he didn't want Clark thinking he'd put someone in danger, even if it was true. Plus, he had been thinking about what happened. He knew that he was right about Clark, he just couldn't figure out the change.

"So, your the bad guy in this story?" A voice said from behind him. Lex turned to find a young man sitting on the steps leading up to the loft. Dark green eyes met his.

"Some people seem to think so." Lex said casually. He put his hands in his pockets and stepped closer to the young man. He cocked an eyebrow over one green eye. A bag of chips sat in his hand and the kid looked like he had just woken up, his dark blonde hair a mess.

"Uh huh." He said, shrugging. "Some people right?" He asked. Lex let a small smile play on his lips.

"If I were the bad guy, wouldn't I just lie?" He asked right back. The kid shrugged again.

"Point." He said, smile tugging at his own lips.

"Who are you anyways?" Lex asked. "What are you doing in the Kent's farm?"

"I'm a friend." He said. "Staying here for a few days."

"A friend, huh?" Lex asked.

"Clark's friend." He specified. He stretched his legs downward, bare feet hitting the floor before getting up off the stairs.

"And your Lex Luthor." He said matter of factly.

"Well, you know my name, but what's yours?" The kid considered him for a moment.

"Alec." He said. Lex actually nodded at that.

"Ah, your the kid who was with the Kent's and Lana when everything went down here." He said, narrowing his eyes.

"Yep." Alec said, still with that casually amused air. "Clark's not here by the way." He leaned forward a little. "And I'm pretty sure that even if he were, he'd throw your ass out."

"Well, I know he's pretty angry with me right now." Alec snorted.

"Yeah, well. Hiring guys to threaten his parents and girlfriend, what do you expect?"

"Is that what Clark told you?" Lex asked, small smile still in place. "And you believe everything you hear?"

"Why do you even care what I believe?"

"I don't." Lex said with a sigh.

"Then why so defensive?" He asked, grinning.

"People tend to get that way when someone's attacking their character." He said. Alec snorted again and then held up his hands.

"Oh, I wasn't attacking your character. I was just stating a fact."

"Lex." Alec and Lex both turned to find Clark standing just inside the barn. "What are you doing here?" He walked over to him, and Lex raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything about the fact that Clark stood almost in front of Alec in a sort of defensive position. From the eye roll that Alec gave him, Lex guessed he noticed it too.

"I just came to talk." Lex said, raising his hands.

"I think we did all our talking already. You need to leave." Lex, small smile still in place, nodded.

"If that's the way you want it, Clark." He said, walking out. As soon as he got out, he stopped at his car, remembering what the kid he had hired had said after Clark had saved the day yet again. His small smile grew as he gave one more glance at the barn before hopping in his car.

* * *

"You should be careful." Clark said as soon as he heard Lex's car pull out of the driveway. Alec rolled his eyes again and started up the stairs to the loft, Clark behind him.

"I can take care of myself." He said.

"Lex is dangerous." Clark insisted. "And connected."

"No shit." Alec flopped back down on the couch. "He is a billionaire." Clark actually let out a frustrated breath and sat down on the table across from him.

"Alec, whatever secret your hiding, trust me, Lex will not be as discreet about it."

"Why the hell would he be interested in me?" Alec asked, furrowing his brow. Clark gave him a look like he was being stupid or something.

"Lex has been obsessed with me for years and I'm just a farm boy." Alec chewed his lip thoughtfully.

"You really think he hired those guys?" He asked finally.

"I know he did." He sighed and got up. Still in thought, Alec moved his feet so Clark could sit down on the other end of the couch. Resting an elbow on the arm of the couch, Clark rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"I used to never think he would do something like that."

"Yeah, well. People surprise you." Alec said quietly. He wondered if Clark would give him the same look he had given Lex if he found out the things he had done in his past.

"Yeah." Clark said. Alec switched on the TV to some music channel and they sat in silence for a while, Alec resting one foot on the side of Clark's thigh.

* * *

Clark and Alec actually became pretty good friends during the week that Alec stayed at his house. Well, as close of friends that they could be with neither of them talking about their past.

Clark had decided not to lie anymore, but the problem was the only way he could really do that was to not talk about his past to much, so he kept to his family and the town and the things that he could talk about. Alec, it seemed, at made that same decision.

Clark told him about the town, about his parents, some about his friendship with Lex. Alec told him a few things about Seattle and about some of the people that he had worked with there.

Still, Clark knew barely anything about Alec. He didn't ask about Alec's big secret for more than one reason. One reason, of course, was that he really had no right to push someone to reveal their secrets when he wouldn't. The other was that whatever this secret was, he could tell that it hurt Alec.

He had only seen it a couple of times. Alec was insanely good at hiding his emotions but Clark had caught the flash of pain in his green eyes at times. He wondered what had happened to Alec to cause that but didn't ask.

He had only known Alec for a week and already felt a connection to him. He knew Alec was different. He'd seen the way he fought, the way he had moved when those guys had taken them. Then there was the fact that he should have died from that shock.

He knew that Alec wasn't affected by the meteors. He'd never been to Smallville, or at least that was what he said. He'd met people with powers that didn't live there, though.

Alec was...confusing to him and he thought he might have a little bit of a crush on his friend. He had spent the first two days after realizing that one completely freaked out and a little bit nervous around him.

In the end, though, the fact that he was in love with Lana, that crushes didn't matter when he was in love, and Alec's easy going manner had relaxed him a little.

He may have been straight, but it wasn't like he'd never had crushes on guys before. Just nothing ever strong enough to go for. It had always been about Lana for him, and even the near to six month fascination that he had had with Lex after first meeting him hadn't compared to that. He loved Lana, and some meaningless crush didn't compare to that and that was all the thing with Lex was and all the thing with Alec was.

It was midweek when Clark went up to the loft to see if Alec was awake and saw something that had him even more worried. Alec hadn't been feeling well the day before. He didn't say anything and shrugged off concern but Clark could tell that he had been a little off.

He had found Alec, sound asleep on the couch and in the clutches of what looked like a bad nightmare. He was moving restlessly on the couch and making small sounds of pain. The groan that came from him had Clark rushing over to him to wake him up.

"Alec." He said, grabbing his shoulders. Instead of waking Alec up, though, he actually began to struggle against Clark's hold and Clark found out first hand how strong Alec really was.

He threw Clark off of him easily and sat straight up on the couch, breathing heavily. Clark landed painfully a few feet away and stared at his friend. Alec looked around the room a little wildly at first before his gaze landed on Clark and his eyes cleared.

"Alec?" Clark said warily, getting up.

"Clark, what-" He stopped short and groaned, putting his head in his hands. "I'm sorry." He mumbled. Clark shrugged even though Alec couldn't see him.

"No damage done." He said, sitting down beside Alec's feet and watching him. "That must have been some nightmare." He said. Alec lowered his hands.

"Yeah, I guess." He said quietly.

"Are you alright?" Alec met his gaze and smirked, but Clark caught the bitterness that flashed in his eyes momentarily.

"Always." He sighed, laying back. When Clark didn't say anything, Alec lifted his head and met his gaze again. "I'm fine, man." He insisted. "I'll be alright." Clark hesitated before nodding.

"Well, breakfast is ready, if you want some." Alec nodded.

"I'll be there in a minute." Clark nodded one more time before getting up.

* * *

Alec waited until he knew that Clark was gone before he let out a curse and punched his pillow. Something was wrong with him.

He'd had nightmares before, of course, but this one was so vivid. Not that he hadn't had those before either, he was just usually quieter about them.

And then there was the fact that Clark had come up on him while he had been sleeping without him knowing it. His training and genetics should not have allowed that, not even while he was sleeping.

He'd been feeling slightly weak too. Something was definitely wrong and he never got sick, his genetics wouldn't allow that either. Maybe something was wrong with his genetics.

He got up slowly from the couch and then wavered when the room spun slightly. _What the hell is wrong with me?_


	4. Chapter 4

The world was gone. He couldn't really hear anything past the pounding in his head. His stomach lurched and he had time to lean over the couch before he heaved violently. Everything he had eaten over the past day came up onto the barn floor until there was nothing left, but he was still heaving. 

When it finally passed, he was still leaning over the couch, panting heavily. When the world came crashing back to him he was only mildly surprised to find out that he wasn't alone and that someone was rubbing small circles on his back.

He closed his eyes against the pounding headache and rested his forehead on his arm trying to get his breathing back to normal. He felt a little dizzy. Clark didn't say anything for several minutes, just continued rubbing his back.

After a few minutes, Alec struggled into a sitting position. Clark put an arm around him, steadying him and he leaned into Clark's shoulder.

"You okay?" Clark asked. Alec just nodded. He was trembling badly and Clark tightened his hold on him, trying to keep him steady.

"I think we should take you to the hospital." Clark said after a moment.

"No." He said as forcefully as he could, opening his eyes.

"Alec, your sick. It could be something serous."

"Don't get sick." He mumbled, burying his head in Clark's shoulder.

"Right." Clark said, sounding slightly frustrated. "Which is why your dinner is on the barn floor right now." Alec groaned at that and shifted closer to Clark. He was cold and his stomach still wasn't exactly agreeing with him.

"Come on." Clark said after a moment and pulled back slightly, holding Alec under his arms.

"I can't..." He trailed off, frowning for a moment. He wanted to go to a hospital, right? "I'll die if I go." He mumbled.

"If you go to my room?" Clark asked, lifting him up off the couch way to easily. He wavered on his feet and Clark wrapped one arm around his waist.

"You want to sleep here next to your dinner?" Alec groaned again and leaned into Clark. He was really wishing that Clark would stop talking about that.

* * *

Clark had to practically carry Alec back to the house and up to his room. Worry settled in his gut, but he didn't act on his first instinct to run straight to the hospital. He didn't have his powers anymore and whatever Alec was afraid of at the hospital, he couldn't exactly protect him from like he could have before.

"Alec." Clark said, settling his friend down in his bed. He ran a hand over Alec's forehead and grimaced at the heat radiating from his body. "This could be serous. You need a doctor."

Alec shook his head, slightly glazed eyes meeting his. Clark saw a flash of desperation and panic there and he sighed.

"I can't go..." Alec shook his head, bringing his trembling hands up to his temples. "He's pretty mad at me." He mumbled. "He probably wants me dead more than ever." Apprehension welled in Clark and he pulled Alec's hands away from his face replacing them with his own and forcing Alec to look at him.

"Alec, who wants you dead?" He asked forcefully. Alec blinked slowly at him.

"I got away." Alec mumbled. "I got away but Max told me to leave."

"Max? Is that the guy who tried to kill you?" Alec's brow furrowed in a frown and he shook his head.

"Helped me. She helped me, saved me." He mumbled. "I wanted to leave there." Trembling hands came out to grip Clark's shirt. "She burned it to the ground." Clark sighed. He wasn't making any sense and it sounded like he was jumping from one thing to another. He lifted Alec slightly and sat down beside him on the bed. His concern heightened when Alec clung to him slightly.

"Don't want to go back, Clark." He mumbled, fear and pain coming through in his voice. Clark felt a new emotion welling up in him at the words and the tone.

"Don't worry." He said, tightening his hold on Alec slightly. "I'm going to take care of you."

* * *

A couple of hours later and Clark was seriously considering taking Alec to the hospital anyways. He was only getting worse and it was a little frightening.

He was having terrible nightmares when he could sleep and that wasn't really often. When he was awake, Clark really wasn't getting much out of him about why he didn't want to go the hospital. He got that whatever this big secret was of Alec's, that if it was exposed then Alec would probably be a dead man, or at least that's what he got from what Alec had said.

Mostly Alec jumped around from one subject to another and it was all a little confusing. Words like "Manticore", "Max", "Rachel", "Super soldier" and things like that. Alec seemed terrified of something.

He had mentioned someone named White and Clark figured from the way that Alec's eyes looked when he said the name, halfway between scared and angry, that this was the guy that had tried to kill him.

He had called Chloe, actually, and asked her to check into some things, see if she could make sense of Alec's fevered ramblings. He really hoped she could, too. Maybe if she did, he could find a way to help Alec.

Alec was getting increasingly worse and he kept on insisting that he didn't get sick. Even though Clark had never been sick himself, unless you counted the time that he inhaled those Krytonite spores, he didn't think this was a normal sickness.

Alec was asleep when Clark got the call from Chloe that confirmed that one. He didn't loosen his hold on Alec when he pulled out his phone and answered. Alec had sort of a death grip on him anyways, like he was afraid that Clark might disappear if he let go.

"Tell me you've got something." He said quietly.

"I'd tell you that whoever told you about all this was yanking your chain if I hadn't grown up in Smallville." Chloe said right off. "Even with that, I'd say they still might be."

"Chloe, what did you find?"

"Fine." She said sighing. "You ever heard of Eyes Only?" Clark rolled his eyes and shifted a little when Alec did.

"Who hasn't?" He asked. He'd seen the guy on TV before, he figured everyone in the country had. The guy was famous.

"Well, when I was looking through what you told me, which by the way was kind of hard to go on since it was just a bunch of random words, I found one of his older ones on some website that follows the guys every move."

"And...?"

"And, he claimed in one of his hacks about half a year ago that Manticore was a top secret military base. He was discredited by the government when said base was burned to the ground and they claimed that it was a simple hospital that a terrorist group burned down. Strangely, shortly after that, the guy actually stopped his hacks on the place. Probably because nobody believed him."

"What did he say about it? I mean, what did they do there?" Clark asked, trepidation forming in his chest and he tightened his hold on Alec reflexively.

"Well, he claimed that the place was actually making soldiers. Said that the doctors there were breeding perfect soldiers and then sending them out to do the governments dirtier work. He went on a little about how these kids had no free will and that they were even stamped with barcodes on the back of their necks to keep track of them."

"Oh, man."

"Yeah, listen Clark. Who told you about all this. I mean, I believe in a lot of things, but genetically enhanced super soldiers?"

"It doesn't matter." Clark sighed. "I'll tell you later. Thanks Chloe." He hung up the phone before Chloe could launch into an interrogation and looked down at Alec. His head was resting on Clark's chest and Clark carefully brushed back the hair on the back of Alec's neck. He wasn't to surprised to see the barcode.

Clark let out a sigh. He hadn't been expecting this one, and now he didn't know what to do to help Alec. If all of this was true, then he couldn't take Alec to a hospital. He supposed he should be more surprised, but he had come to believe that nothing that happened in Smallville could surprise him anymore. Besides what was more strange than an alien living on a farm?

Clark settled against the headboard. He didn't know what he could do for Alec, but he knew he wasn't leaving.

* * *

Clark's fear only grew, though, when Alec just seemed to be getting worse. He was barely conscious most of the time and when he was, he wasn't really coherent. Clark had no idea what to do. If he took him to the hospital, that was basically a death sentence. He held onto Clark tighter as Alec's tremors grew.

* * *

Alec slowly woke up. His head was still pounding but nothing compared to the way it had been. Something was holding him down, but instead of feeling panic or fear, he actually felt a warm sort of safety and he buried his head in the warm safety.

When he finally felt the need to open his eyes and lifted his head a little. He froze a little. He was practically lying down on top of Clark. One of Clark's arms was wrapped tightly around him.

He eased out of Clark's hold and sat up. He felt better, but confusion settled in his mind. What the hell had happened to him? He didn't get sick, ever. He was grateful that Clark hadn't carted him off to the hospital at least.

He sighed and looked down at himself, and then grimaced. He clothes were feeling a little grimy with sweat and he could still taste when he had gotten sick. He glanced over at Clark and decided to let him sleep before getting up.

He still felt weak and a little unsteady, but he did feel better. He frowned slightly as he made his way to the bathroom. He had never been sick before, and he had been sure that when his genetics finally decided to break down, that it would be permanent. But this hadn't lasted long at all.

* * *

Clark shifted as he woke up and stretched a little. He froze, though, when he remembered what had happened, and when he woke up, panic settled in his gut. Alec wasn't there. He jumped to his feet, his heart beating out of control.

"Hey, Clark." Clark turned to the voice from the doorway and froze again. Alec was there standing in a towel and his skin and hair slightly damp from a shower. Clark hesitated for only a second before bounding over to him and pulling him into a fierce hug.

"Uh, Clark." Alec said after a moment, patting him awkwardly on the back. "Still not feeling my best here, buddy." Clark pulled back, but kept his hands on his shoulders.

"I thought-" Clark stopped and then realized that Alec was still in the towel and nothing else. He blushed a little and stepped back.

"My stuffs still in the barn." Alec said, going over to the bed and sitting down, ignoring Clarks blushing. "I was kinda hoping you'd get it for me so I don't have to walk around in a towel."

"Right, yeah, sure." Clark nodded, turning to go and fighting not to trip over his own feet.

* * *

"So, are we going to talk about the things you said while you had that fever?" Clark asked later. They were in the kitchen and Alec was eating. The hand with his fork froze midway between his mouth and plate and he looked up at Clark, a very slight panic reaching his eyes.

"What exactly did I say?" He asked. Everything was still a little hazy for him.

"You said a few things that were odd. I, um, did a little research, trying to see if I could help you. Manticore?" Alec nearly choked and looked down at his plate, suddenly losing his appetite. When he looked back up, though, Clarks eyes had softened.

"It's okay, you know. I know what you are."

"You do, do you?" Alec asked, a hint of anger in his voice. Clark simply nodded, though, ignoring the anger.

"I do. And it doesn't matter. Your still a good person." Alec laughed.

"I don't know about that." He mumbled, but a warmth invaded his chest at the way that Clark seemed to be accepting him and a sort of trepidation came to him too, because he was not really a good person. He was saved from having to explain everything at that moment, though, when Chloe knocked on the screen door and let herself in.

"Chloe." Clark said, frowning. "I thought you'd be on your way to Metropolis by now."

"Yeah, well. Not before one more why me moment."

* * *

Okay, so next chapter gets into Hidden as you can probably tell from that last line.


	5. Chapter 5

This chapter has some major stuff from both Hidden from Smallville and some of Alec's thoughts on the Berrisford Agenda.

* * *

Alec sat idly on the fence around Clark's farm. Clark and Chloe were gone doing something, he wasn't sure what. Something about some guy that Chloe knew. He still wasn't feeling his best, but whatever had happened to him, the effects were fading pretty fast and he was almost up to full strength now.

He still wasn't sure what had happened to him, but he was beginning to think that he hadn't gotten sick after all. He heard the car before it stopped, heard the footsteps coming towards him before the man spoke. He sighed.

"Bored?" Alec turned his gaze to Lex as the man leaned on the fence beside him.

"Now why would I be bored in a town like this?" Alec asked, smirking at him. Lex rolled his eyes and gave the same small smile that he had seen before when he had talked to Lex. The man was almost as hard to read as Alec.

"Again, Clark's not here." Alec said after a moment, looking out at the field.

"Right. Who says I came to see him?" Alec snorted.

"So, what? You came to check up on me? Or the Kents, who all kind of hate you?" Lex sighed and straightened up about to leave.

"Why'd you do it?" Alec asked suddenly. Lex turned back to him and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You still care about him, don't you?"

"Care about who?" Alec snorted again and rolled his eyes this time.

"I get the impression your not stupid, why act like it?" He jumped from the fence and turned to face Lex.

"Clark and I haven't been real friends for a while. In fact, I doubt we ever were." Alec nodded, tilting his head to the side.

"I get it, you know." He said after a moment. "Clark told me a little about your dad, and I do get it."

"I doubt that." Lex said, taking Alec in and probably looking at how young he looked. Alec gave a small bitter smile.

"When I was younger, I did some things I'm not exactly proud of." He grimaced. "That's actually an understatement. My biggest was doing something that got someone I cared about dead." Lex's face remained unreadable at this, but Alec caught a flicker of something in his eyes.

"What did you do?"

"Doesn't matter. All that does is it happened and it nearly destroyed me too."

"Why are you telling me this?" Lex asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Doesn't matter." Alec said again, not exactly sure himself. He forced a smile back on his face and hopped the fence to get back on Lex's side. He started back toward the Kent's house but found himself stopping and turning back to Lex.

"Just so you know. Once you cross the line, I don't think you'll ever come back." He walked away.

As he walked slowly back to the Kent farm, he thought about what just happened. He wasn't sure himself what made him reveal those things to Lex. There was just something about the man's eyes, something familiar.

He could tell from just one look that Lex was bordering on the brink. Standing on that line. Something had made Alec want to give him a shove to the right. Alec himself had done a few things that, like he had said, he wasn't proud of even after he had gotten out of Manticore.

Even if he disregarded everything he had done while still there, and that was something that he could never do anyways, he had still come close to killing Max and Joshua to save his own ass.

Despite the fact that he had only talked to Lex twice, he still felt a kinship to the man. He had seen the same look in his own eyes, especially in the weeks right after Manticore had burned down. He had overcame his own upbringing, he wondered why Lex couldn't.

He was still deep in thought when he opened the door to Clark's house and looked up. Clark's parents were there. Jonathan was just hanging up the phone and his face was pale in a way that Alec didn't like.

"What is it?"

* * *

Alec slipped into the hospital room unnoticed. He shouldn't be here. It should be Clark's parents or Lana here, but he had to see Clark. He paused at the door, staring at Clark's still form before going over to the bed.

Clark was laying, slightly propped up. Alec's gaze landed on the bandage on his chest where the bullet had hit before going up to Clark's face.

"Hey, man." Alec said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and staring at Clark's face. "So, what? Is this payback or something? I get sick, so you got to one up me by getting yourself shot?" Alec sighed and brought one hand up to run it through his hair and resting it on the back of his neck.

"You know, Lana and your parents are freaking out." He sighed again and leaned down a little. "You should have told me about it. One of the advantages of having a genetically enhanced super soldier as a friend." He couldn't help the tinge of anger that came to his voice. He should have insisted on going with Clark. This wouldn't have happened if he had gone.

Clark actually moved his head a little and Alec couldn't resist pushing some of his dark hair out of his eyes. Clark opened his eyes as Alec pulled his hand back and gave a small smile before his eyes closed again and Alec heard the sound of the monitor flat lining.

Alec stumbled to the doorway as the doctor and nurses rushed into the room. He watched them as they tried to revive Clark and felt a familiar burning pain in his chest when they stopped and the doctor called the time of death.

Alec turned as soon as she called it and walked out into the hallway. He walked straight past the waiting room where the Kent's Lana were waiting. He didn't make it in time to hear the doctor come up, though. Didn't make it in time to not hear Clark's mom sobbing.

* * *

Alec made it all the way back to the farm before he stopped. He ran all the way there. He stopped inside the barn, his chest burning and bent at the waist. Turning he punched a hole in the wall. He pulled his hand out and just stood there, staring at it in a sort of daze.

He was painfully aware, now, that he had been actually falling for Clark. The horrifying pain in his chest proved that. It was familiar and sharp. When Rachel died, it had nearly destroyed him. In fact he still hadn't been really recovered from that when he had come to Smallville. He had left Seattle to get away from that.

He realized though, that he couldn't do that this time. He couldn't just leave. He owed the Kent's more than that. Owed Clark. Closing his eyes, he did the only thing he could do, the only thing he had been trained to do.

He buried his emotions deep, as deep as they would go. He had let the pain rage after Rachel died even if he had hid it somewhat. He couldn't do that this time.

When he finally opened his eyes, he felt numb, empty. His eyes snapped up, though when he heard a noise. Stepping back warily, he watched dispassionately as men entered the barn.

There were a lot of men, and they were armed with tasers. The odds weren't good and he was probably going to lose. He found himself not really caring, though. He wondered briefly if these were White's men that had finally found him before the men rushed him.

He held his own for a while. He may have been outnumbered but he was still a super soldier. And then there were tasers on him and he convulsed as he went to the ground. A sharp kick to the head and his world went black.

* * *

As soon as Clark could extract himself from his parents and Lana he raised out to the barn in search of Alec. He knew that Alec would not be accepting the explanation that Lana would about how, exactly, he had come back from the dead.

He was prepared for that, though. Hell, even telling Alec the truth if that was what it took. Alec had told him his biggest secret. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Clark had found out his secret, but still...

When he got out to the barn and found no sign of Alec, worry settled in his gut. When he found a hole in the wall that he was pretty sure he knew what it came from his worry grew. When he found a small amount of blood on the floor of the barn, his worry grew to a near panic. Alec's things were still there, his cell phone still sitting on the table in the loft. Alec was gone, but he hadn't gone of his own will.

* * *

Alec woke up with a groan and stood up. He turned slowly, taking in his surroundings. He was in a room locked in by a heavy steal door. He looked up at the high ceiling. The walls were smooth.

"Alec." A voice rang out through a speaker that he couldn't see. "Welcome to your new home."

"Home?" Alec said. The numbness from before was fading a little bit. This was way to much like Manticore. "Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter." The voice said. "We are going to be running a few tests. I have been searching for something like you."

"Something." Alec said.

"A meteor freak with the immunities you have. It is astounding that you recovered from the poison you were given so fast."

"Poison." Alec said, letting out a sigh. Well, that explained why he had gotten sick. He wondered idly how this guy had gotten ahold of a poison strong enough to take down an X-5.

"Yes, and now we're going to test what else your immune to."


	6. Chapter 6

Clark learned over the next week of searching and finding nothing on Alec just how much he actually cared for his friend. He found himself a little on the frantic side and couldn't really think about much else except that he had to find Alec. 

Lana had noticed too, and he was pretty sure that she was irritated with him, but he couldn't bring himself to worry about that when Alec was still missing.

At first he had refused to go to Lex. He thought that maybe Lex might have had something to do with this. But after the second day, he didn't really have a choice. He had to do something and Chloe couldn't find anything and neither could he.

He knew there was no reason that Lex would help him, knew that there was no reason that he could trust Lex. After what had happened, how could he? But as time went on, he got more and more nervous. The longer Alec was gone, the less chance he had of finding him. He got nervous about that one. If Lex hadn't had anything to do with it, then what would he do if he was the one who found Alec and not Clark? He sighed, and decided that he would have to risk it. At least he knew that Lex wouldn't kill Alec. Well, he was pretty sure he wouldn't go that far.

"I was under the impression that we weren't talking anymore." Lex said as soon as he walked into the mansion.

"Yeah." Clark said. "Alec's missing." He blurted out, skipping straight to the point, because yeah, he still didn't trust Lex and was still pissed at the guy for what he did. Lex raised an eyebrow.

"I can't find anything, neither can Chloe. There was blood on the barn floor, his cell phone and clothes are still in the loft. I know he didn't leave."

"And what makes you think I didn't have anything to do with it?" Lex asked now, his tone mildly mocking. "That is why your here, isn't it?" He asked when he caught sight of Clarks expression. "You think I took your boyfriend?" If these were normal circumstances, Clark might have stammered and blushed. He might have denied, but they weren't and he was just to damn worried to rise to that.

"Are you going to help me or not?" Clark asked finally.

"And why would I do that?" Clark sighed, frustration welling up. He should have known better than coming here.

"I don't know." He said, turning and walking away.

* * *

Lana let out an exasperated sigh. She was getting worried about Clark. He was obsessed with finding Alec, who he wasn't even sure was in trouble in the first place.

"Hey." She said as she walked up the stairs to the loft. Clark jumped and turned around.

"Oh, hey, Lana." She smiled a little and tried to ignore the feeling that he seemed disappointed every time it was her who walked up those stairs instead of Alec.

"Hey, find anything yet?" She asked, walking over to him and standing beside him, staring out at the moon.

"No." Clark said, his eyes darkening again. Lana watched the look. The look of worry and sadness in Clark's eyes that she had seen in his eyes since Alec had disappeared.

"It's been almost a week, Lana. What if I don't find him? What if he's..." Clark trailed off and Lana shook her head. She didn't mention the fact that Alec could have left on his own. She really didn't want to fight, and the last time she had suggested that, it had ended in a spectacular one.

"Clark..." She shook her head. She pushed down the thought that Clark had barely looked at her since Alec disappeared. He'd do the same thing if Chloe disappeared after all. It wasn't a big deal. Everything would go back to normal once he found Alec.

* * *

Lex looked in the room and fought down looked over at the doctor, rage flashing briefly in his eyes.

"And why wasn't I told about this?" Lex asked, masking the anger.

"I had to be sure." The former doctor said. He was one of the men that Lex had hired to study the meteor infected. Stephen Harris was a little on the crazy side, admittedly, but he was brilliant.

"Sure of what?" Lex asked, keeping his voice purposely calm and slightly bored as he looked in on the room, at the young man standing in the center. Well, more like wavering on his feet.

"He's immune to more things than anyone I've ever seen." Harris said excitedly. He pointed at the computer on his desk and clicked open a file. "Check out his DNA." Lex looked over at the opened file and raised an eyebrow at Harris.

"It's unlike anything I've ever seen, and I've studied a lot of the meteor infected as you know. His DNA is has regenerative qualities. He doesn't have scars and I'd be willing to bet that he never will, no matter what you do to him. He heals a hell of a lot faster than a normal person and can take a hell of a lot more abuse." Harris smiled a slightly crazy and sadistic smile. "Trust me, I know."

"How long have you had him?" Lex asked.

"About a week. And trust me, Lex. A normal person would not be standing now." A week. Lex felt the rage boiling below the surface once again and he looked in on the kid again. He watched as the kid stumbled on his feet and fell, only to snap back to his feet like he'd been electrocuted. From the cry that he gave, Lex thought maybe he had.

Lex felt a new sort of emotion forming at the sight. He himself had witnessed and funded many tests on the meteor infected but this was straight torture and he found it a little pointless.

"And the point of all this is to find out his endurance? To find out what all he is immune to?" Lex asked, unable to keep the disdain out of his voice. From what he had seen the blood tests had done that. There had been no need to torture the boy.

Lex himself knew he was no saint but doing something like this was a waste of time. The boy was an enigma in a lot of ways that didn't pertain to his blood. Lex could tell that from just the two short conversations he had with him.

"I think your done here." Lex said, turning to Harris and making a decision.

"What?!" Harris eyes widened. "But, Lex-"

"I believe that I am the one who pays your bills." Lex said, raising an eyebrow. "Release the kid to me. I'll take it from here." Harris opened his mouth to argue but closed it before saying anything. Glaring at Lex, he did comply with the orders.

* * *

Six days. He'd been there six days. He knew that. Whoever had him, if they wanted to break him, they were in for a surprise. He was an expert on surviving torture and these guys weren't even as inventive as Manticore.

Although, six days without food or sleep still had him so week that he wasn't sure if he could fight his way out of here even if he got the chance. He remembered that one from Manticore too. Sitting in solitaire without food or water until the guards came to drag him down to psy-ops.

He didn't really care, though. He had completely shut down when Clark died, and now these assholes could do whatever they wanted to him. He simply couldn't care less. He had been like that the entire week he had been...wherever this was. Sort of numb as they ran tests that he thought was more torture than anything else.

The first thing that penetrated that numbness was the sound of the heavy metal door opening for the first time, and he had a brief flashback from Manticore. When the door opened fully and he saw who was standing there, anger penetrated the numbness as well.

"Well." He said, his voice a scratchy whisper. "Guess I was wrong." He wavered again on his feet and was slightly surprised when Lex walked quickly to him and steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. It was slightly embarrassing to realize that Lex might have been able to take him out at the moment.

"I'm not here to hurt you." Lex said, studying him. "I didn't know you were here." Alec let out a small laugh. "Let's go." Lex said forcefully, grabbing his arm and pulling him from the room.

Alec didn't really have the energy to question it. He guessed it didn't really matter if Lex was telling the truth or not. He followed Lex outside and blinked a little at the brightness of the afternoon and then Lex was pulling him towards his car and sitting him in the passenger side.

Alec rested his head on the windshield as Lex pulled out. He didn't really care where they went. He didn't really care if Lex was just taking him someplace worse than this. He didn't really care that Lex probably knew more about him than he should, even if he thought he was one of those people infected by the meteor rocks that Clark had told him about one time.

He couldn't force himself to be surprised when they pulled into Lex's mansion and Lex pulled him through the place until he stopped at one of the bedrooms and forced Alec to lie down on the bed.

"Get some rest." Lex said calmly. Alec didn't say anything, he simply stared up at the ceiling for several minutes after Lex left the room. His body was demanding sleep, though, and after a few moments, he gave in.

* * *

When he woke up, he found a tray with food and some sweats and a towel lying next to him on the bed. He only wondered briefly about Lex ever wearing sweats before heading out to the bathroom to shower.

Physically, he felt a hundred times better when he finally walked back into the room in a towel. He looked up when the door opened and Lex walked in. He watched Alec for a moment before Alec turned to him and sat down on the bed, not even bothering to get dressed yet.

"Feeling better?" Lex asked. Alec shrugged and Lex put his hands in his pockets. Alec raised his eyebrow at the look on Lex's face.

"If your expecting me to start interrogating you on why you got me out of here or if your intentions were...pure...I'll let you in on something." He stood up and walked closer to Lex. "I really don't care why you did it. But thanks." He shrugged.

"Your welcome." Lex said, raising an eyebrow at the words. Alec was very aware of the look in Lex's eyes and that he was still in a towel. But screw it, Clark was dead and the numbness that Alec had surrounded himself in was threatening to disappear after he had gotten out of that place.

Before he knew what he was doing he had dropped the towel and was settling back on the bed with a smirk.

"Are we doing this or what?"

* * *

Alec extracted himself from Lex after waking up and got dressed. He walked out of Lex's mansion emotionlessly and considered his next move. Sleeping with Lex had been easy. As easy as sneaking out of the mansion without anyone noticing. He didn't feel guilt for it, not really. It wasn't like Lex felt something for him that wasn't there. He actually got to the edge of Lex's property when he stopped short at the sight of a familiar truck.

He watched as the truck stopped and Clark got out. Alec closed his eyes and opened them again, thinking that everything that had happened over the past week had finally driven him crazier than Ben, because he had seen Clark die. He had been in the room.

"Alec." Clark's stunned voice penetrated his mind and then Clark was bounding over to him and wrapping him in a fierce hug and he couldn't fool himself into thinking it was a dream when Clark's arms were wrapped around him. When Clark pulled back with tears of relief in his eyes, a thousand thoughts ran through his head. He had the urge to blurt out what happened last night, to say a hundred different things.

"Guess I'm not the only one with secrets," was what came out of his mouth in the end. Clark smiled a little and pulled him back into another hug. And this time, Alec couldn't help but to return it.

* * *

Okay, so I finished the end of this chapter with the Lex/Alec stuff after not sleeping so I don't know how good it is and sorry for any mistakes. I haven't actually decided yet on whether or not to make Lex a total bad guy or to actually make him redeemable in this.


	7. Chapter 7

Alec shifted a little and looked over at Clark. Clark wouldn't really meet his eyes. Alec opened his mouth several times before something finally came out. 

"So, where's your spaceship?" He asked, and then winced. Clark's gaze snapped to his and then he looked away again.

"I destroyed it, actually." Clark said. Alec sighed. He wasn't actually expecting an answer there. It was just something stupid that came out of his mouth.

"You believe me?" Clark asked.

"Well, I did see you display that power you were talking about." Alec said, thinking about how Clark had disappeared in a flash and reappeared a second later with take out from Metropolis. That was definitely a freaky sight.

"And I thought I moved fast." Clark let out a slightly nervous laugh.

"Alec, you still haven't told me exactly what happened to you. I still can't believe Lex saved you, by the way." Alec shifted a little uncomfortably at the mention of Lex. It wasn't that he should be feeling guilty about what happened. It wasn't like he and Clark were together or something, but he couldn't seem to help it.

"Yeah, I guess he did." Alec said, answering that. He really didn't want to tell Clark everything that had happened to him at the place. Lex had told him that he wouldn't let it happen again, but Alec still wasn't so sure that he could trust the guy.

"Why do you think he did it?" Alec shrugged, not exactly sure how to answer that question.

"Don't know. The guy isn't exactly easy to read." Which was kind of frustrating. He figured the way Lex was raised had something to do with that, though. He was pretty sure that Lex wasn't a saint, but he wasn't so sure that Lex was the monster that Clark seemed to think he was. Clark sat down on the couch next to him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"I'm glad your okay." He said, patting Alec on the shoulder. Alec smiled a little.

"Yeah, thanks man."

* * *

Alec walked casually into the mansion and grinned when he caught sight of Lex shooting pool. He walked over to the table and leaned down on it.

"You any good?" He asked after a moment. Lex raised an eyebrow at the question and sank the eight ball.

"What are you doing here?" Lex asked, handing Alec a cue. Alec grinned, leaning on it as he watched Lex rack the balls again.

"Oh, come on. I thought we were friends now. I mean, you save my life. We have hot sex in one of your spare bedrooms." At this, Lex actually let out a laugh.

"This makes us friends?" He asked. Alec shrugged again.

"Sure. Why not?" He asked. "I've never been friends with a one night stand before, but hey. First time for everything, right?"

"You and Clark make up?" Lex asked after a moment, stepping back from the table.

"My break?" Alec asked over enthusiastically before making a face at Lex and leaning over the table. "This isn't some soap opera." He blinked and paused, looking up at Lex. "Well, if Clark and I were together..." He shrugged and took a shot, grinning when he sank two.

"I mean, Clark could have totally been planning on asking for my hand. And then this overly creepy and totally crazy doctor kidnaps me from his barn and I get talked into having sex with the bald billionaire ex-boyfriend who saved me from the overly creepy doctor who he hired in the first place for some other nefarious plot." Amusement danced in Lex's eyes at the ramblings.

"I think you've been thinking to much about this." He said, taking his shot when Alec missed.

"Oh, come on. This is a classic triangle story line here. I mean, there's the barely legal farm boy with a hot on again off again girlfriend and morals that rival Captain America. Then we have the mid twenties billionaire with questionable morals and more ex-girlfriends than Clark will ever have."

"Just because a person does not go around trying to save the world every day does not make them questionable. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Captain America died doing just that."

"True." Alec said, a grin still in place as he sank the eight ball and stood up. "See you later." He said, slapping Lex on his shoulder on his way out of the room.

* * *

Lana was frustrated. She had expected things to go back to normal after Clark had found Alec, but she found things to be even worse. Clark was spending an insane amount of time with Alec, and she had even seen Alec at Lex's mansion a few times.

The worst part about it, and the part that she had tried desperately to ignore when Alec had gone missing was the look in Clark's eyes. The look that he had usually reserved for her and was now directed at Alec more often than not.

It hurt, and she figured that Clark probably didn't even realize it. He wasn't stupid, but he could be pretty blind about things like that. It did hurt, but it also made her angry.

Clark had sworn that he loved her and now he was spending all his time with Alec. He had avoided being with her for a while now. Also, whatever secret he was holding back from her, she was pretty sure that he had told Alec.

That was the real kicker. He had told this boy, who he had only known for a few weeks and he still wouldn't tell her whatever it was.

She steeled herself as she walked up to the loft and was slightly relieved to find him alone there.

"Clark." She said. He jumped and turned to her.

"Hey Lana." He said, coming over to her. She stepped away from him, though, before he could touch her. He frowned. "What's wrong." She scoffed.

"What's wrong?" She repeated a little incredulously. "What's wrong is that you've been avoiding me."

"What? No..." He shook his head, frown forming on his own face and she had to steel herself again because she needed to know.

"You don't seem to have the same problem with Chloe...or Alec." His head snapped up.

"Lana..." She held up a hand.

"I came up here because I needed to know something."

"What's that?" He asked, stepping a little closer. She allowed it and looked up into his eyes.

"I needed to know if I was the only one who wants this anymore."

"What? Of course I want this. I've wanted this since..." He trailed off and Lana gave him a sad smile.

"Since we were children." She said quietly. Clark opened his mouth and then closed it again. He blinked a few times and then put hands on her shoulders.

"I do love you, Lana."

"I know." She said. "But I don't think it's the same as before." She fought down tears and anger. "You love him, don't you?" At this he really was speechless. He gaped at her for a moment.

"I've seen the way that you look at him." She said. "I can't do this if your not going to be here, Clark. Not again." She pulled out of his hands.

"Lana..." She shook her head, unable to help the tear that slipped out.

"I love you, Clark. But I can't be with you if your not going to honest and if I can't have your heart." She waited, staring up at him, some part of her still hoping that he would deny it. That he would tell her that she was the only one. When he didn't, she nodded and walked past him and raced down the stairs. Luckily she held back the sobs until she was outside.

* * *

Alec sighed as he got back to the Kent's. He had been spending a little more time with Lex and he had to admit, even if he couldn't totally trust the guy, that he actually liked Lex to an extent. Besides he was in no position to question another persons morals.

For some reason, he still couldn't bring himself to tell Clark that he had actually slept with Lex despite the fact that he really had nothing to be guilty about. Despite the jokes that he and Lex passed around, it wasn't like Clark was planning on asking him to marry him or something.

Alec stopped short when he got up to the loft. Clark was sitting on the couch and it looked like he'd been crying. Alec stepped over cautiously.

"Hey." He said. Clark jolted and looked over at him.

"Hey, Alec." He said. Alec frowned.

"You okay?" He asked, sitting down next to Clark.

"I don't know." Clark said and Alec's frown deepened.

"What happened?"

"Lana broke up with me." Alec froze for a second before he put a hand tentatively on Clark's shoulder.

"Wow, buddy. I'm sorry. What happened?"

"She said..." Clark shook his head and then let out a sigh. "It was a lot of things." He looked over at Alec and an emotion that Alec couldn't name passed through his eyes.

"Sorry." Alec said again. Clark nodded. "You need anything. I mean, I'm not great at the whole emotional support thing, but you want to talk about it or something?" Clark shook his head and got up abruptly.

"I think I need to be alone." He said.

"You sure?" Alec asked, moving to stand too. Clark nodded, waving him away.

"I need to think about some things." He mumbled, not meeting Alec's eyes for several seconds before he turned and practically sprinted out of the barn. Alec stared after him for a few minutes and then leaned back. That was kind of...strange. He wondered idly if he could beg some scotch off of Lex.

* * *

Clark lay in his bed, Lana's words running endlessly through his head. He had thought of his feelings for Alec as a simple crush before. Then he thought of the blind terror and panic that he had felt when he'd discovered that Alec was missing. What if Lana was right?

He groaned and turned over, burying his face in his pillow. This was to much to deal with all at once. Breaking up with Lana, the possibility that he might like boys, the possibility that he might like Alec...

He groaned again and tried to clear those kinds of thoughts out of his mind. He'd deal with all of this later. He really couldn't right now.


	8. Chapter 8

Alec found out over the next couple of days just how possible it was to avoid a person when your living in the same place. He had thought that that might be impossible, but Clark somehow managed it. 

When he did run into Clark, he made up some excuse and practically ran off. It was a little baffling. He wondered idly if this was how Clark dealt with losing Lana.

He ended up spending a little bit more time at Lex's mansion and had to stop himself short when he realized that he and Lex actually were sort of friends. It was weird. This whole town was.

He actually thought about getting a job and found one at this little bar on the outskirts of Smallville. He'd only gone there to grab a drink but he really didn't think he usual options for making money were going to be an option in Smallville. It was shortly after that, actually, when he found an apartment a little bit away from the bar. He still had a fare bit of money from before he had come to Smallville.

He was actually stuffing his clothes in his bag when Clark came in.

"What are you doing?" Clark asked.

"I found an apartment, and a job." Clark frowned.

"In two days." Alec grinned at him.

"What can I say, Clark? I'm just that good." Clark let out a very nervous laugh.

"So, your moving out?"

"Yeah, well. I can't live in your loft forever, Clark." Clark nodded, fidgeting a little nervously.

"What's up with you?" Alec asked, putting down his bag and watching Clark. "I mean, I didn't know it was possible to avoid someone while living in the same place."

"I needed some time to think about things." Clark said, not really meeting Alec's gaze. Alec's frown deepened.

"What things? I mean, I know you and Lana were together for, like, ever..."

"This wasn't about Lana." Clark said. "Well, part of it was. But mostly it was about you." Clark met his gaze then, and Alec could see the anxiety dancing in them.

"About me?" Alec repeated. Clark nodded.

"Yeah. The thing is. Lana said some things when she broke up with me. Some things that I might have been thinking myself beforehand."

"What things?" Alec said, standing still now and staring at Clark.

"Well." He shook his head. "I..." Alec watched him for a moment. He seemed so scared to just say it. He decided to end Clark's floundering himself. He walked over to Clark and put a hand in the back of his hair, pulling Clark's head down so he could meet Clark's lips with his own.

Clark seemed to freeze for a second before responding to it. He put one hand on Alec's back and brought him even closer. After a moment, though, Alec broke the kiss and pulled back. Clark smiled a little nervously at him.

"Guess I didn't have to ask." He said after a moment. Alec shrugged.

"You sure about this?" He asked. Clark nodded.

"I've spent two days thinking about it. I think Lana was right after all." Alec rolled his eyes. He was still close to Clark, still in his space.

"Clark, buddy. You want this to work, you might want to lay off the Lana talk." Clark actually laughed at that and dipped his head down to kiss Alec again.

* * *

Alec still moved out. He seriously could not go on living in Clark's loft. Plus having his own apartment had it's advantages.

"So, what made up your mind so fast?" Alec asked about two days after he had moved into his new apartment. They were both sitting on the couch, like they usually were. Alec stretched out with his feet resting on Clark's thigh.

"What do you mean?" Clark asked.

"Well, I was expecting it to take more time. You know agonizing over the fact that you might not be one hundred percent straight and all that." Clark grinned at him.

"Yeah, well, to be honest I've kind of known for a while that I wasn't one hundred percent straight." Alec raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Don't tell me you had a crush on Lex?" He asked after a moment.

"Actually..." Clark let it hang. Alec frowned. That was just great. Clark smiled wider at him and then lifted up. He moved over to were he was hovering over Alec, hands holding him up on either side of his head.

"You shouldn't frown so much." He said after a moment before dipping down to kiss Alec. Alec gave a surprised noise when Clark wrapped an arm around him and succeeded in flipping them over to were Alec was on top of him without dumping them both off the couch.

"Uh, Clark. I don't know what your thinking. But I'm not Lana." He said, when Clark pulled him down on top of him. Even so he settled himself a little.

* * *

"Hey, buddy." Alec said, grinning as he walked into Lex's mansion. Lex studied him a little as he handed him a drink.

"What happened with you?" He asked. Alec frowned.

"What are you talking about?" Lex raised an eyebrow.

"You and Clark?" Lex asked suddenly. Alec choked on the drink.

"How the hell do you do that?" He asked, not even denying it. He figured there was no point.

"It's a gift." Lex said, shrugging. "Besides, you didn't think I noticed how much you talk about Clark?" Alec shrugged and plopped down in one of Lex's chairs.

"He know you come over here? Or what happened when I got you out of that lab." Lex asked. Alec looked over at him.

"Not yet." Alec said, feeling a sting of guilt for that one. "It's not like we were together then, though. Hell, I thought he was dead at the time."

"You really think that'll matter to Clark?" Lex asked, shaking his head. "He hates me now. Trust me, he wont take it well." Alec waved a hand airily but couldn't help the note of trepidation that entered his chest.

"If he does, he does. There's nothing I can do about it. Besides, just because we're together doesn't mean he gets to tell me what to do."

"You really don't get it, do you?" Lex asked after a moment. "Clark expects everyone around him to live up to his standards." Alec looked at him.

"I don't know about that. He was friends with you for how long...?" Alec grinned. Lex rolled his eyes.

"And he cut me out."

"Because you hired guys to threaten his parents and Lana." Alec raised his drink. "I think he might have had a reason to be a little angry."

"Why are you here then?" Alec shrugged and looked away from Lex.

"I've done worse." He whispered. Lex must have heard him anyways, though, because he let out a small chuckle.

"And you think Clark wont cut you out when he finds out?" Alec simply let out a small sigh. He'd beat himself up enough over the stupid shit that he had pulled after getting out of Manticore. Despite what Max and Logan had thought, he actually did have a conscious. And the stuff he did while inside Manticore...He really tried not to think about that.

* * *

Clark was hovering over him again, kissing him when he decided he should tell him the truth. At least before things went farther. He pushed Clark away a little, breaking the kiss and looked up at him.

"Lex and I had sex." He blurted out. Clark stared at him for several moments before he got off him and sat back on his heals on the couch.

"What?" He asked, stunned. Alec grimaced and sat up. He was never really good with the whole tact thing.

"Yeah. After he got me out of that lab, actually."

"You slept with Lex?" Clark repeated. Alec nodded again and waited.

"But-" Clark shook his head and stood up, pacing a little. Alec watched him. He abruptly turned back to Alec. "That was before, right?" He asked suddenly.

"Before what?" Alec asked. He kept calm, at least on the outside. He was nervous as hell on the inside, though. Maybe Lex was right.

"Before you found out I was alive, right?" Clark sighed and plopped back down on the couch. Alec sighed, and thought about what he should say.

"Look. I thought you were dead. I'd just spent a week inside a place that was way to much like Manticore." He shrugged. Clark looked over at him.

"You do that a lot?"

"What?" Alec frowned.

"I mean, you didn't even know Lex then." Alec actually groaned and laid his head back.

"If this is going to be an analysis on why I slept around and did all those stupid things..."

"Stupid things?" Clark asked now. Alec looked back at him.

"It doesn't matter. I grew up. Well, a little bit. The question is, can you handle the fact that I had sex with your former best friend?"

"Well." Clark paused. "It wasn't like we were together. Besides, I was with Lana at the time. Plus, you did think I was dead..." He trailed off, and leaned over to Alec. "You just got to promise me something."

"What's that?"

"Don't do it again." Alec smiled and rolled his eyes, leaning in for a kiss.

* * *

Clark sighed and ran up the stairs to the loft after leaving Alec's place. Truth was, the fact that Alec had slept with Lex did sort of freak him out. He knew that Alec and Lex were sort of friends now, too.

He really had no right to judge Alec on that, though. What he had said was true, he and Alec hadn't been together. Alec had even thought he was dead. He had been with Lana. He couldn't help the small amount of jealousy that wormed it's way into his gut, though. Jealousy and worry.

It wasn't like he didn't appreciate what Lex had done. He was happy that Alec was okay, but he still didn't trust Lex.

* * *

Alec rode his bike through town with a small smile on his face. He could tell that Clark was slightly freaked out by what happened with him and Lex, but at least he was trying to accept it. Lex had been wrong about Clark.

He still couldn't believe he was doing this. After Rachel he had sworn that he wouldn't get involved with someone like that again, but here he was with Clark, worrying about it and trying to make it work.

If he was honest with himself, he didn't know if he would have given in so easy if Clark were normal. He felt a connection with Clark, though. And he couldn't help but to give in to it.

He sighed and his smile fell when he thought about the rest of the conversation he'd had with Lex. What would happen if Clark found out everything he had done in his past? What would happen if he found out what he did to the only other person he had ever loved?


	9. Chapter 9

Clark was happy. Actually happy. He hadn't felt this kind of contentment even during those weeks when he and Lana were still together when he didn't have his powers and didn't have to lie to her. With this came worry, though. 

He found out that Alec had nightmares even when he wasn't asleep. He knew next to nothing about Alec's past but from the things he did know, he knew that Alec hadn't had a great one. He didn't want to push Alec about it though.

They hadn't really done much yet. They had slept together but they had only, well, slept. And that was more of Clark falling asleep at Alec's apartment. The thing was, he wasn't the only one holding back on that front.

He wasn't sure why Alec was holding back either. Something was bothering him, but Alec was hard to read on that kind of stuff. Fortunately his four year friendship with Lex had given him some insight. He just wasn't sure what to do with it.

* * *

Alec stopped short on his way into the mansion when he heard the voices coming from inside. He had been spending more and more time there even since he and Clark had stepped it up. He knew that Clark didn't trust Lex and truthfully Alec didn't totally trust the guy, but he did to an extent.

"You think I'd just let it go?" Alec rested his back against the door outside and listened. He frowned at the sound of the voice, one that he actually recognized.

"I told you before," he heard Lex say, "I'm the one who pays your bills. The kid is off limits."

"Right." The other man scoffed. "And, why is that, Lex? So you could cultivate a friendship with him? Just like you did with the Kent boy?"

"What do you know about that?" Lex asked, a little bit of anger tingeing his voice. Just enough that someone who didn't know him might not have picked up on. Alec recognized it, though. He had spent enough time with Lex to.

"I know enough. You never do anything without a reason. It was a little interesting to me that you became friends with a farm boy. I figured there had to be a reason behind that to. Your protecting this kid. Why?"

"Hold it." Alec said loudly, unable to keep silent anymore. "I really don't need any protecting." He walked into the room, his gaze on the man who had taken him from the barn. Rage burned inside of him. The man stared at him.

"Alec, I really don't think you should be here." Lex said. Alec shrugged, grinning at the man, but without humor. From the way the man took a step back, he guessed some of the rage was leaking out.

"Your probably right. I have been told before that I don't have the best judgment at times. But I don't know, standing outside listening to you two talking about me..." He shook his head and stepped closer to the doctor.

"I know what you are." The man said suddenly, quietly. Alec tilted his head to the side. "I know your no meteor freak."

"Really?" Alec stepped up face to face with the man. "You know what I am?"

"Yes." The man said. Alec smiled again but this time the man held his ground, but Alec caught the flash of fear in his eyes.

"If that's true, then you know what I'm capable of, don't you?" Alec's lowered his voice a little and the man swallowed audibly. "I'd suggest you stay away from me." The man glanced at Lex one more time before turning and practically running from the door.

Alec let out a sigh and let the soldier drop. He sat down in the chair across from Lex and leaned back. Lex raised an eyebrow at him.

"You really think that was the smartest move?" He asked. Alec shrugged.

"Probably should have just killed the guy." He met Lex's gaze. "So, you know too, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Huh." Alec leaned forward thoughtfully. "Don't know that guy. I really don't like someone I don't know knowing what I am. Could turn me over."

"And you don't think I would."

"Naw." Alec waved that away. "I figure I've got one of two options with you and neither of them end with me in the hands of those guys who are probably still looking for me."

"And what options are those?" Lex asked, leaning forward on his desk as well. Alec grinned and leaned back, slouching a little in the chair.

"Well, either your really not the crazy bad guy that everyone thinks you are, or, and I might think this was more likely, you don't want me dead for other reasons."

"Other reasons?" Lex stood up and went over to his small bar. "Is this the bad guy speech? The one where you declare that you don't really trust me and that I better watch my back or something."

"Nope." Alec said getting up as well and accepting the drink that Lex offered. "Who knows, maybe the guy was half right and your doing this for your own reasons that have nothing to do with a good heart or an actual conscious. Whatever the reason, I don't think it really matters."

"You don't think it matters?"

"Are you just going to repeat everything I say back to me? Whatever. I'm not leaving." He turned serous for a moment. "If that guy comes after me again, though, I will do what I have to do to stop him." He turned and started out.

"And you think that Clark will understand that?" Lex asked, stopping him. "You call that self defense?"

"I call it self preservation." Alec said, turning back briefly. "I'm good at it." He whispered the last part, a note of sadness came to his voice and then he walked out of the door.

* * *

"You think that you and Lex could ever be friends again?" Clark's gaze snapped to Alec's at the question. He wasn't looking at Clark, keeping his gaze firmly on the television.

"Why?" He asked, frowning. Alec's gaze flickered to his briefly and Clark saw apprehension in his dark green eyes. Clark's frown deepened.

"Just wondering." He said after a moment. "You think you could ever forgive him for all the things he's done?"

"I don't know." Clark said. "Maybe, if he was actually sorry. But I don't think that he is. Every time I think he's one of the good guys, he does something to prove me wrong." Alec shifted a little on the couch.

"But what if there are no good guys? I mean, if you think of the world that way..." He trailed off, biting his lip a little.

"I know the worlds not completely black and white if that's what your saying. But Lex put my family in danger just for some test. He was willing to sacrifice the people I care about to prove something."

"And you." Alec whispered. He turned fully to Clark. "So, you don't think you could forgive him?"

"Like I said, maybe if he was sorry." Alec nodded thoughtfully.

"Look, I know you and Lex are sort of friends now. And I'm cool with that. Well, mostly. But I really don't think that Lex and I could go back to that, if that's what this is about." Alec shook his head.

"It's not." He said after a moment. "Lex and I..." He trailed off. He didn't really know how to describe his friendship with Lex. It was odd. They talked, just never actually talked. Even so, he had probably told Lex more about himself than Clark, or even Max.

It always came back to understanding. Even if he couldn't exactly fully trust Lex, he knew that Lex would understand the things he had done in his past. Probably in a way that Clark never would, and Max never could.

Max's words rang in his head from just before he had left Seattle. When she had asked him to make her understand. He didn't think that was possible no matter what he told her, though. What he had said to her was true, she wasn't there. She couldn't understand because she didn't go though it.

As much as he hated it, he didn't think Clark would understand either. Maybe it was why he had started this friendship with Lex. Lex was probably one of the only people he had met that could probably understand somewhat.

"Alec." Clark brought him out of his thoughts. He leaned towards him. "What is this about?" Alec just smiled a little.

"It's not important." Clark watched him for a moment and Alec was pretty sure he didn't believe him but he seemed to let it go at least for now.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Lex asked, walking up to Alec and actually looking annoyed.

"Lookin' for you." Alec said, grinning and putting his hands in his pockets.

"So you snuck into the plant." Alec shrugged.

"I was bored." He probably shouldn't be pushing it with what Lex knew about him, but he seemed to not be able to help himself. Lex gave him an amused smile.

"Must have been really bored to be coming here." Alec rolled his eyes.

"This is Smallville." He said. "Besides, this place in insanely easy to get into. You should really step up your security."

"Nobody wants to get in this place, Alec. Well, almost nobody."

"Lex!" Alec and Lex both turned at the voice. Harris stood a dozen feet away. "He's right, you know." He said, raising his hand and pointing a gun at Alec. "It is too easy."

"Harris, what do you think your doing?" Lex said, completely calm.

"Self preservation, right?" Harris said, keeping the gun aimed at Alec. "He threatened me, I'm just protecting myself."

"This way?" Lex asked, taking a step forward and forcing the man to point the gun at him. "You wont get out of here if you pull that trigger."

"I think I will. As for working for you, I'm thinking I should have been working for myself all along. You making friends with these freaks instead of doing the smart thing."

"I thought you said you knew what I was." Alec said, his voice taking on an edge.

"I do know what you are. And I'm going to kill you before you can kill me." Alec actually laughed at that, and then he was gone from Lex's side. He blurred over to the man and wrenched his arm backwards over his head. Unfortunately, the gun went off and blew a hole in the pipe behind them both. Alec took the gun easily from the man and crashed it across his temple.

Just as he did this, though, a gas came rushing from the pipe and it blew out in both of their faces. Lex watched from the distance, not going forward yet. He held up a hand, and tried to see Alec through the haze. He knew what that was and knew it wasn't good.

When it finally dissipated, it revealed Alec and Harris both on the floor. Lex came forward warily just as Alec was struggling to his feet. Lex put a hand on his shoulder and looked down at Harris, who's eyes were open and staring.

"You alright?" Lex asked, hoping that the fact that Alec was immune to most diseases and virus' would make him immune to this too.

"I think." Alec said, his voice a little ragged. He looked down at Harris. "He's not." He grimaced. Lex nodded.

"Come on. You better get out of here." Alec nodded but didn't move. He wavered slightly on his feet for a moment.

"Alec?" Alec's eyes widened before they rolled back into his head and he collapsed.

* * *

Hope that wasn't to stupid. And I know I've got a hell of a lot of hurt Alec in this story. I've just been trying to figure out a way for Clark to get Alec's past and I came up with something but I sort of needed to put a little more pain on Alec for it to work. Anyways, I'll get the next chapter out soon.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, so I am using the idea from the show to inform Clark of Alec's past. This episode was one of the best of the new season, at least to me, and I thought it would be a good way to enlighten Clark.

* * *

Clark had to restrain himself from super speeding through the Lex's lab. He had gotten a call from Lex a few minutes earlier that had nearly stopped his heart. He stopped short when he spotted Lex. "What's going on, Lex? What happened?" Lex sighed and motioned Clark forward into the lab. Clark swallowed when he caught sight of who he came here to see. He walked over to Alec and knelt beside the cot he was lying on.

"An accident happened when he came to see me." Lex said.

"What kind of an accident?" Clark asked, pushing some of Alec's hair off his face.

"A pipe was ruptured and some chemicals were released. Someone died because of it. I think we both know why Alec's still alive." Clark turned to Lex but didn't stand up.

"You know, don't you?"

"Yes." Clark turned back to Alec and took his hand.

"And your not going to...?"

"To what?" Lex asked mildly. "Cut him open to see how he ticks?" When Clark looked back at him, Lex raised an eyebrow. "I called you, Clark. I'm just as worried as you are." Clark said nothing to that but he seriously doubted the statement. Lex walked around to the other side of the cot and Clark saw something flash in his eyes that he hadn't seen in a while.

"Think what you want about me, Clark. But I am trying to help." Clark closed his eyes for a second before opening them and looking down at Alec. He nodded and looked over at Lex.

"What do you know? Why isn't he waking up?" Lex nodded back and even let out one of those rare smiles before he spoke and it slipped.

"He was hit with a chemical that would kill a normal person, especially with the amount he was hit with. But since he's not normal...Clark, I've had my doctors look over him. It's sort of like a coma. In fact," Lex stood up and Clark did as well, "their not really sure why he hasn't woken up yet. We were doing some experiments in the lab and the chemical he was hit with..."

"What?" Clark said, apprehension welling.

"They think maybe he's trapped. This was one of my earlier experiments, Clark. One that was basically scrapped."

"What kind of an experiment?"

"One of the ones that I had going to retrieve loss memories." Clark's lips tightened a little.

"Lex, didn't you learn you lesson on that? You've almost died so many times because of these experiments."

"Some times it's worth the risk, Clark."

"Even if it's not you your risking?" Clark asked, glancing back at Alec. "How did you mean he's trapped?"

"It was one of the side effects of the experiment. The reason it was scrapped in the first place. I think he's basically trapped inside his own memories, in his own mind."

"But you said it would have killed a normal person." Clark said, frowning.

"How much he was hit with, yes. In fact, I'm not really sure that the normal dose would have done anything at all to Alec."

"So, how do we wake him up?" Lex sighed and walked over to look down at Alec.

"Well, I'm not sure about all of Alec's genetics. He might wake up on his own."

"But he might not." Lex turned to Clark and his eyes darkened for a moment.

"I'm sure you know by now that Alec's past isn't exactly all sunshine." Clark nodded.

"He told you about his past." Lex gave what Clark thought might have been a fond smile.

"Not really, but he did let a few things slip. The point is, Clark, the worse the memory's the harder it will be for him to dig himself out. We might have to pull him out ourselves."

"How?" Lex walked past Clark and put a hand on his arm.

"Follow me."

* * *

"What is this?" Clark asked, looking at the machinery.

"Another project." Lex said, stepping up beside him. "It was developed for the military for interrogations. It basically allows one person to go into another's mind." Clark stared at him for several moments, trying to get the words to register.

"Wait. You want someone to go into Alec's head?"

"No." Lex said. "This was shut down because people died from it. It's dangerous. I'm not going to send some stranger into Alec's head anyways." Lex looked Clark in the eyes. "I'll do it." Clark was taken aback for a moment by this.

"No." He said. "You can't."

"Look, Clark. I know you don't trust me-"

"It's not about trust this time." Clark cut him off. "You said it yourself, you already know about Alec. You also just said that you've tried this with normal people before and they've died."

"If you've got a better idea, I'm all ears, Clark." Clark let out a breath, and looked down.

"I can do it." He said.

"And how is that different from me doing it?" Lex asked, raising an eyebrow. Clark shrugged and looked up at Lex.

"I-I think I love him, Lex. I'll do what I have to. If you do this you could both end up dead. I can't let that happen."

"Clark-"

"Look, wouldn't I be better for this anyways? I can reach him, Lex." He didn't meet Lex's eyes. "And I can't let you die either." Clark met his eyes again, silently pleading with Lex to agree. Lex looked a little surprised for a moment at the last statement.

"Alright, Clark." He finally relented at the look Clark was giving him. "But, the first sign of trouble and I'm pulling you out."

* * *

Clark closed his eyes on the metal table next to Alec and opened them in a hallway. He walked slowly down it, looking around a little. There were stone walls and doors on the left with bars on the tiny windows. With a chill he realized that this was probably what Manticore had looked like.

"You shouldn't be here." Clark spun at the voice and was met with the sight of Alec.

Clark had always thought that Alec was, well, adorably hot in the mornings just after he woke up with his hair a mess and his clothes slightly wrinkled. Mostly, though, it was because Alec was just so neat about his appearance most of the time. The person standing in front of him was in stark contrast to that.

He was wearing a pair of scrubs with no shoes. His hair was a complete and utter mess and slightly longer than Clark was used to seeing on Alec. There was even slight stubble covering his cheeks. He looked a little younger, too. Maybe only a couple years. His appearance wasn't the only thing that was off, though. He looked slightly jumpy and his eyes, which Clark noted were a little bloodshot, kept darting around the room refusing to completely land on him.

"You shouldn't be seeing this." Alec mumbled, fidgeting a little. Clark came forward and put hands on his shoulder and noticed the way he tensed.

"I came here for you."

"I'm not the one your looking for." He said, meeting Clark's gaze briefly. Clark frowned at him and he flinched a little under Clark's gaze. "I didn't want you to see, Clark."

"See what?" Alec turned his head to the door beside them and it opened. Clark swallowed nervously and walked hesitantly into the room. He stopped short at the scene in the room, though.

There was a child there with a shaved head and Clark knew who it was before he saw the big dark green eyes. He watched horrified as two men who looked liked guards dragged him back and strapped him down to a table. He stood frozen as they readied some machine. When he heard the first screams, though, he turned and ran from the door.

When he got back out in the hallway, he had to push back tears and noticed that Alec was still there. He was sitting down by the door, hugging himself with his arms. Clark knelt beside him but he still wouldn't meet his gaze. When Clark reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, he sprang up.

"Don't feel sorry for me, Clark." He said. "It wasn't the first or last time I was on that table." Clark looked down and felt the tears again but he forcebly pushed them away. He felt guilt too for invading these memories but he could think about that after Alec was okay.

Alec pointed to the door again and Clark looked through the barred window to see a much older Alec, one about the age of the person in the hallway with him being dragged between two guards. Clark could see that his face was a mess of bruises. His eyes, though, they looked so empty.

"Alec." Clark turned back to him. "I didn't come here to invade your memories like this. I came to help you."

"Not me, Clark. The one your looking for, he's a little buried beneath all this. Come on." Alec grabbed his hand and pulled him to another door. Clark pulled away and shook his head.

"I'm not going in there."

"If you don't, you'll never get what your looking for. Be careful when you get out the other side." Clark hesitated for another moment, not sure how much more he could take of watching Alec suffer. But Alec had actually lived through all this. And it was the only way to bring him back. He had to do it.

When he opened the door he tried not to look at the scene that was playing out, but it wasn't like a TV screen in the background. It was impossible not to see. Some experiment this time. Alec was just a child in this one too and they were experimenting on him.

He raced out the other door and out into the hallway again and leaned a hand against the wall. He felt nauseas and wondered idly how he could feel that way if he wasn't in his body. Then again he thought anyone would no matter what after seeing all that.

"I should kill you." Clark spun again and was met with another, equally different part of his boyfriend. As haggard as the other one had looked, this one was the complete opposite of that. Wearing military issue clothes and his hair cropped short. Again it was his eyes that caught Clark off guard. They were empty and cold.

"You made me weak." Clark shook his head as Alec started towards him. Not wanting to deal with this side of Alec, Clark bounded towards the nearest door and opened it.

If the last scenes had made him want to be sick, these ones stopped him in a whole new kind of horror. He watched as Alec, his face emotionless, strangled a man to death. The scene shifted and he watched Alec snap another man's neck. He watched him pull the trigger of a gun aimed at someone's head. Clark raced for the door.

"You shouldn't have seen that." Clark's head snapped up and there was Alec. His Alec that he had spent so much time with. Down to the faded grey leather jacket and the smirk. "Hey, Clark."

"I've...I was looking for you." Alec nodded.

"Yeah, guess you didn't like what you found." Clark was still reeling a little bit from everything that he had seen.

"You-" He shook his head, unable to even say it.

"I've killed a lot of people, Clark. That guy you met before? He's my mask. He's the one I used back at Manticore. I lived my entire life doing what they told me and thinking they were right. And, really, it wouldn't have mattered anyways. You saw a piece of what they did to me when I didn't follow the rules." Clark nodded and Alec turned from him and Clark realized that the doorway he was standing in was open. "The entire time, I never questioned them, until her."

"Her?" Clark stepped up to him and looked into the room. There was a pool with a large house in front of it. Clark watched the scene in front of him as Alec came up to the girl, as he kissed her. He looked over at Alec who had a sort of sad, wistful expression on his face.

"Alec, why are you stuck here?" Clark asked, glancing back at the scene.

"I loved her, you know?" Alec said, not looking at Clark. "I killed her." Clark froze and watched as the scene change. He watched as Alec put together a bomb. Watched as he actually changed his mind at the last minute. Watched as he tried to warn the girl, Rachel. Watched as the people from Manticore set off the bomb anyways. Watched as Alec was taken back.

"That's enough." Clark said, taking Alec's arm and dragging him out of the room just as the guards in the place were beating another version of Alec for his failure. He turned Alec to him as they got out in the hall.

"You were afraid to tell me?" Clark said. Alec looked up at him.

"I killed the last person I loved, Clark. I killed her. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be that guy," he pointed back, "and I killed her."

"You didn't push the button. You tried to warn her."

"Your right." Alec said calmly. "You really think that matters? I planted the bomb, Clark. I got close to her. She fell in love with me. Told me she loved me and I did this. And then there's all the other people I've killed. You saw it, didn't you?"

"I did." Clark said. "But I also saw what they did to you to make you do it. I also saw what they did to you when you even tried to fight back."

"Clark..."

"Alec, I know that it's not easy. I know you can't just forget all this. But I need you to know that it doesn't matter to me. It doesn't change anything for me."

"What?" Clark leaned in closer, trying to make his words stick.

"I need you to know that even with all this, I still love you. I love you, alright." Clark pulled him close and hugged him tightly. He closed his eyes and squeezed Alec reassuringly. "I love you."

He heard Alec whisper "I love you too," before he woke up on the table in Luthorcorp.

* * *

I really really hope this was okay. I know parts of it was kind of sappy, but hey, I kind of heaped a lot of hurt on Alec through this story I thought he could use a little sap. Next chapter will be my last in this one. I'll get that one out soon.


	11. Chapter 11

Okay, so this is my last chapter guys. I hope you like it. It's kind of shorter than my other ones. Sorry about the last one guys. I accidentily put the wrong document to this story if any of you guys got the chapter for my supernatural story instead of this.

* * *

"Hey." Clark said, standing in the center of the room some feet away from Lex. Lex looked up.

"Hey, Clark." Clark walked closer to him where he was at the tiny bar by his desk. Clark hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"So, I know we things haven't been exactly great between you and me, but what you did for Alec..." Lex shook his head and looked at Clark.

"I didn't do it for you, Clark." Clark nodded and gave a small smile.

"I know. But I still appreciate it." Clark looked away for a second. "And, well, I'm glad you guys are friends." Lex raised an eyebrow and Clark figured that was as close as he could get to actually surprising Lex.

"Really?" Clark nodded, meeting his gaze again. His smile widened slightly.

"How is Alec?" Clark's smile dropped some at the question.

"I'm not sure actually." Clark walked off a bit.

"Your not sure?" Clark shook his head, frowning.

"He's been sort of avoiding me. Keeps saying he wants to be alone. I think he thinks that I'm not taking what I saw well. I keep trying to talk to him but he wont stay around long enough to." Clark back at Lex.

"Have you talked to him yet?"

"Not about that." Lex walked over to his desk and sat down. "I think he comes over here so he wont have to talk about it. I figure if he needs a place to go were he doesn't have to think about it, that's fine." Clark nodded, surprised once again at the flash of worry that went through Lex's eyes. Surprised once again that Lex actually cared about Alec.

"Clark." Lex said, bringing him out of his thoughts. He leaned a little over his desk. "If you want to talk to Alec, maybe you should go find him." Clark gave a small smile again and turned to go.

* * *

Alec watched the sunset a little distractedly. It was pretty, but he couldn't focus on it. He couldn't really focus on anything at the moment. He knew that Clark was worried about him. And, strangely, he thought Lex was too.

He didn't really remember Clark going through his head, but he could imagine what he had seen. Most of his memories were not pretty. In fact, before he came to Smallville, he had very few actual good memories.

Most of the time, he tried not to think about his life. He knew Max saw that as one of his problems. That he only thought about the moment and didn't think about the future or his past. He liked it that way though. Before Smallville, he never really saw his future as much more than trying to have some fun before White or someone else just as bad finally caught up with him and ended it. And his past...

"Hey." Clark's voice interrupted his thoughts and Alec glanced briefly at him before turning his gaze back to the sky. "Guess I missed it." Clark said, noting the darkened sky and sitting down next to Alec.

"Yeah." Alec said, not sitting up and not looking over at him.

"The roof, huh?" Clark asked. Alec simply nodded. Clark's roof had a good view.

"Alec..."

"I don't remember what you saw Clark. But I figure that none of it was good." He glanced over at Clark for a moment and then cleared his throat. He was never really good at this stuff. "I get it, you know, if you don't want..."

"Alec-"

"I do remember something, though." Alec cut him off again. He propped himself on his elbows. "I..." He shook his head, staring out at the horizon again, not able to look at Clark while he said it. "I remember feeling you." He frowned, trying to explain. "I remember this feeling as I woke up..." He trailed off, chewing his lip slightly.

"Alec." He looked over at Clark finally. He had a small smile on his face and leaned in to press their lips together. When they broke apart, Clark laid down next to him and tugged Alec closer to him.

Clark reached out and linked their hands together and Alec figured that it was okay if he couldn't say the words out loud yet.


End file.
